This is my mom’s house, and the city is after her to fix this. They'd be happy if I just painted over it.

I need help with ideas on how to remove this beam, and use the post to support this roof overhang type section. In the pics, you can see that this beam buts up to a wall, and there's nothing on the inside of the house. so it's nonstructural, except for maybe suporting that roof section. I also want to delete the window trim, and go with something more practical. If it's consisten brick under that trim, I may try to just tear all the trim off, and leave it.

I want to delete everything. It's all 4x10 and 4x12, except the 2x6 roof line. I want to delete the beam under the roof overhang, and use that post to support everything. (The post has a little 12x12 concrete pad under it.

Would that post hold it all, or would I need to run something along the roof edge?
Does anyone know what's behind the window trim?
Is there a simple solution, I'm not seeing?

I worked as a carpenter's helper for 2 years, and we remodeled/repaired everything from rent houses, to high rise condos. I know I can do this job, if I have the right instructions. I could use advice on search criteria, and anything anyone can offer. I may paint over it, and give myself a month or 3 to prepare. I have the paint.

Thanks all.

The facia boards and window trim can be replaced. On the big beam I'd remove as much dead wood as you can, spray with bleach to kill the rotting process rebuild with automotive bondo sand to size and repaint.
I've fixed the bottom of a lot of rotten door frames with bondo over the years.

I've never seen a house like that with that much rotten trim work. Do other houses in the neighborhood have the same issue?

Good luck,

Mine was worse.

My house was built in 1971 and I just had all the soffit, fascia, siding, etc. replaced this summer, along with the roof, due to rot. The genius builder used SHEETROCK for soffit and Masonite for siding. The fascia was regular old lumber. A scam roof job in 2007 combined with a poor design of the shape of the roof, neglect, and Texas weather took its toll.



I would not spend a minute or a dollar on painting over that...any of it.

Window "trim": I'd pull it off. Not only does it require a lot of extra paint and could be rotten, but it's dated. Beware there might be no siding under them so you would have to piece some in, cover over it all, or possibly leave the uprights (over the siding) and just trim off the bottoms (where the brick starts), removing the rest around the windows.

I would replace the fascia for sure. The beam? I like the idea above if there's good wood that far back. Can't tell how wide the overhang is but that beam sure is out of place. The fascia on the overhang is not vertical so it would be kinda weird to move the pole outward. You could temporarily brace the overhang at the corner, take out the post and the beam, replace the fascia, then put a 4X4 in place of the beam, then install a new (taller post).

I can share the company that did mine via PM if you'd like. It's ALL Hardie Board now. I think they have an office in Allen which isn't that far.

Some of the other houses have similar, but not as bad. Now while I was working on rent houses in this same area, I saw similar to worse rot. In my limited understanding, these houses were really poorly built.

I'm worried about what's behind the window trim. I poked my finger into some of that wood at about 3' above the ground. I won't know my options, until I take the trim off. I need to be prepared to temporarily cover whatever's behind it. I'm gonna cruise the neighborhood, because I know I've seen where people have obviously reworked the exact model.

"I would replace the fascia for sure. The beam? I like the idea above if there's good wood that far back. Can't tell how wide the overhang is but that beam sure is out of place. The fascia on the overhang is not vertical so it would be kinda weird to move the pole outward. You could temporarily brace the overhang at the corner, take out the post and the beam, replace the fascia, then put a 4X4 in place of the beam, then install a new (taller post)."


I was hoping to do something along your idea above. It's gonna be a significant change in appearance.


Please do PM the company that did the work for you.

That's a good idea. I've used Bondo a bit, but it was under my bosses instruction. I do think I could cut it back, and do what you're saying. I'm concerned about what's holding that window trim up. I'm gonna cruise the neighborhood, because I know I've seen where people have obviously reworked the exact model. Thanks for the advice.

Make sure and post an update when you decide on a direction.